Subtlelty is not her forte
by M.J. Apollinaire
Summary: Derek might not be the expert when it comes to researching wendigo hide outs but he was pretty sure his younger sister's constant banter and pushing at Stiles's shoulder whatever chance she got while mumbling "I'm going to punch you" was not part of the research routine. Scott seemed to know this too from all the glances he kept throwing Stiles and Cora's way and the small smile he


Being the youngest member of the Hale pack Cora was used to always getting what she wanted, never really having to work for it. She was the pack's baby and everyone spoiled her rotten, Derek didn't even want to think how hard it must have been for her to settle into a lonely life after having lived in a household full of love and care. Though he didn't show it much he was really glad of having his baby sister back, hoping maybe they could make up for the lost time. He wanted to be a real older brother to her, and he would start by stopping this nonsense. He had been trying with all his "werewolf strength", as Stiles would put it, to not burst out laughing at the scene playing before him. For the past 15 minutes Cora had been parading around the loft wearing short shorts, courtesy of her recent shopping trip with Lydia (which he would seriously need to have a talk about that), around the loft just as Scott and Stiles were going over blue prints before the next pack meeting. First she had poked fun at Stiles shirt, and when that didn't grab his attention she resorted to offering to help the guys with what they were doing. Derek might not be the expert when it comes to researching wendigo hide outs but he was pretty sure his younger sister's constant banter and pushing at Stiles's shoulder whatever chance she got while mumbling "I'm going to punch you" was not part of the research routine. Scott seemed to know this too from all the glances he kept throwing Stiles and Cora's way and the small smile he failed to hide. _Unbelievable, _Derek thought. His sister seemed to be infatuated with Stiles Stilinski.

Scott continued to trace escape plans over the blue prints while Cora once again threatened bodily harm at Stiles. This one merely yelped a "Jesus fucking Christ, Cora!" while rubbing his arm. Cora froze for second, probably scared she had gone too far, but relaxed the instant Stiles playfully pulled on a lock of her hair and muttered " little miss sourwolf."

"Cora, may I speak to you in the kitchen please?" Derek asked tentatively.

Cora turned to him with a deadly glare, obviously pissed by his interruption. Derek raised his eyebrows and nodded towards the door. Cora huffed and got up from the couch, stomping in his direction with annoyance. Meanwhile Derek wished he had missed the way Stiles's gaze lingered a bit too long on her behind. _I'm going to kill Lydia._

"What is it Derek? I was kind of busy." Cora said irritated.

"Kind of busy trying to flirt with Stiles?" he asked nonchalantly. Enjoying the way she started squirming the moment he mentioned the kid.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She argued looking anywhere but his face.

"_Cora_," he grabbed her chin and turned her face at him, "We might've apart for many years but I still remember the tell tales of when my baby sis is having a crush."

She bit her lip worriedly.

"Is it really that obvious?"

When Derek nodded she groaned and leaned her forehead against his chest. He brought his arms around her and awkwardly patted her head.

"I don't know what's come over me, Derek. I don't even know why I like him. He's always flailing around and whenever he opens his mouth I struggle the urge to punch him… sometimes with my mouth. Ugh, I even sound like him."

"Why couldn't you have fallen for Scott, or even Isaac." He chuckled. "Ouch!"

"Don't start." She threatened after pinching his side. "What am I supposed to do? I don't think he even knows I like him that way."

Uh oh, this was dangerous territory for Derek. He never dealt really well with women asking him for romantic advice of any kind.

"Have you tried actually telling him?" he felt the shake of her head. "Maybe that's the place to start."

"What if he doesn't like me that way?" she asked in a very small voice, reminding him of the Cora he knew many years ago.

She really didn't have to worry about that. Derek knew for a fact that Stiles was over Lydia, and if the soulful glances he had started to throw Cora's way a couple of weeks ago were anything to go by he was pretty sure the kid wasn't oblivious to his sister's charms. He just didn't know how to read Cora's signals. Derek suppressed an affectionate groan. He couldn't believe what he was about to do.

"I want you to go to the bathroom and stay there."

Cora pulled away from him and raised an eyebrow.

"Trust me. I'm putting an end to all of this; you guys are painful to watch."

Cora frowned at him and left for the bathroom. Derek went back to the living room and found Scott looking at him with interest while Stiles texted someone on his phone. Apparently, the new alpha had heard his conversation with Cora. Scott made a show of stretching and telling Stiles they needed to take a break.

"You should go the bathroom, Stiles. I'm sure you have to pee, or something." Scott said innocently.

Derek resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Really? For someone who a few months ago had managed to trick him and Gerard Argent Scott could still use some work on his subtlety. Stiles finished stretching and eyed Scott wearily.

"Ooookay. I think I'm old enough to know when I need to use bathroom, Scott. But thanks, I'm really touched by your motherly tendencies towards me."

"He's right, Stiles. You should wash your face, or something." Derek offered trying not to cringe at his own lame attempt.

Behind Stiles Scott was trying to stifle a laugh. Stiles looked from Derek to Scott and shook his head.

"I don't know what's wrong with you guys and your obsession with my bathroom needs but I'll leave you to it. I'm gonna go ahead and get something to drink now."

Scott looked at Derek and nodded before grabbing Stiles by the arm and yelling at Derek to get the other one.

"What the fuck is wrong with you guys?! I don't need to pee or take a dump, leave me be!" Stiles screamed as the two guys dragged him into the bathroom.

"We're doing this for your own good man." Scott said soothingly before dumping Stiles on the bathroom floor and locking the door.

"Wait, you're locking me up with Cora?! Derek, dude, I thought we were friends, that you were starting to like me. Your sister hates me." Stiles shouted, fists pounding against the door.

The frantic pounding of his heart and the subtle smell of despair let Derek know Stiles was deeply affected by the idea that Cora would hate him. She seemed to pick up on that too, because through the door Derek could hear her whisper softly.

"I don't hate you, Stiles."

"Really? Because you're doing a pretty good job of proving otherwise." He muttered.

Cora sighed and Derek heard the shuffle of feet, she was getting closer to Stiles.

"Believe it or not I kinda like you."

"What?" Stiles choked.

"I know, right? Must be all the plaid and the snark." She snickered quietly. "Listen, I'm sorry if I seem like a bitch at times, I'm not used to dealing with these kinds of feelings. I've never been good at it."

Her statement was met by complete silence, Scott even pressed his ear closer to the door to make sure he didn't miss anything, and then Stiles spoke.

"You know, for years I kept putting myself out there; expressing all my feelings towards Lydia only to be thought of as a joke, and I grew so desensitized to it all. To the point where I even miss whatever signals other people sent me. Because I never felt like I could be good enough for someone else." He said quietly.

"Well, I like you. I think you're pretty hot actually. I like those little moles scattered about your face, and I like the way you always stand up for your friends even though they can take care of themselves because they are _werewolves. _I like that you saved my brother's life even after claiming that you didn't trust him. But most of all, I like the fact that you're not afraid of calling me out. And you see right through me, or at least I thought you did, otherwise you would've known I like you. You've been so obsessed with Lydia and her rejection all these years that you've been selling yourself short. You are a great guy, Stiles."

Scott kept making "aw" faces and smiling dopily at Cora's confession. Derek just wanted to run out of there, this was turning to be too intimate of a conversation.

"So… what do you say Stilinski? Am I being delusional by even thinking you might like me that way?"

Again, silence.

"Honestly? There's only one thing for me to say, and that is… you _owe me."_

"What?" Cora exclaimed.

_What? _Derek and Scott mouthed at from the other side of the door.

"Yeah," Stiles said confidently, "I seem to remember saving your life in an ambulance as we were running for our lives. Also, I believe I took the liberty of _maybe _saying how I wanted you to repay me." he finished.

His heart started beating really fast and the guys could sense Stiles moving, stepping closer to Cora.

"Oh ye-yeah? And what was that?" she asked nervously, her heart spiking just like Stiles's.

"I believe my exact words were 'next time I put my lips to your mouth you better be awake'?" the boy said teasingly.

"I think I'm pretty awake right now," Cora breathed, "don't y-"

Whatever she was going to say next was cut off when a set of lips latched onto hers. Scott clapped excitedly. Derek hit his against the wall. And on the other side of the door a pair of clueless teens had a lot of catching up to do. And Derek did not want to witness any of it.

"Let's go out for a bite to eat, my treat." Scott smiled dragging a grumpy Derek out of the apartment.

THE END.


End file.
